Game device projectors



May 7, 1957 c. SCAROULIS GAME DEVICE PROJECTORS Filed Sept. 30, 1954INVENTOR. 608745 SCA/FffifiA/S My W United States Patent Ofice 2,791,431Patented May 7, 1957 GAME DEVICE PROJECTORS Costas Scaroulis, New York,N. Y.

Application September 30, 1954, Serial No. 459,358

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134 The present invention relates to games of thekind in which each player places a marker on a board which has aplurality of numbered field portions, and the markers are advanced asthe game progresses according to certain game rules, the player whosemarker first reaches the highest number on a field portion being thewinner.

One object of the present invention is the provision of a game of thecharacter described which has two ball projecting devices and two rowsof numbered perforations through one of which one of two balls will passeach time it is projected, and the number of the perforation throughwhich a ball has fallen indicates basically the amount of progress of aplayers marker on the game board.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a game ofthe character described which has on its board certain signs whichindicate either an advance of a marker further than is indicated by oneof the aforementioned perforation numbers, or which even may indicate isreverse movement of the marker, thus making my new and improved gamemore exciting to play than if the marker movement were controlledexclusively by said perforation numbers.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a deviceof the character described which has the aforementioned ball projectingdevices and rows of perforations arranged on opposite sides of the gameboard in such a manner that players sitting opposite each other canactuate said ball projecting devices without shifting or turning thegame device.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a gameof the character described which allows the movements of the balls to beseen as they pass from a ball projecting means over a portion of thedevice and into a perforation, but which prevents the balls from jumpingoff the device and from getting lost, and which automatically causes theballs to move back to positions in which they can again be projected.

Yet a further object of the present invention is the provision of a gameof the character described which can be played by two or more persons,which is comparatively small in size and light in weight, so that it canbe moved easily from place to place, and which is simple inconstruction, so that it can be manufactured and sold at a reasonableprice, but which is also sturdy, durable, and well adapted forwithstanding the rough usage to which devices of this type frequentlyare subjected.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangements of parts without departingfrom the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawing a preferred form of the invention has beenshown.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. and,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes a fiat game board provided with aplurality of numbered fields, which in the present instance areconsecutively numbered from 1 to 100 and each of which is provided inits center with a hole 2. The board 1 preferably is supported at twoopposite sides by box-like members 3 and 4. Each of the members 3 and 4has three straight side walls 5, 6 and 7 as well as a curved end wall10, and an intermediate wall 11 which is parallel to the walls 6 and 7and extends from the wall 5 to a point which is in spaced relation tothe wall 10. A top wall 12 provided with a plurality of numberedperforations 14 extends from the wall 6 to the wall 11, and the walls 6,10 and 11 protrude beyond the upper side of the perforated top wall 12.The wall 11 is provided with an opening 15, and beneath the top wall ,12there is a first bottom 17 which is inclined downwardly toward theopening 15. A flat base portion 18 (Fig. 3) preferably connects thebottom portions of the box-like members 3 and 4 to each other, so thatthe device will be reinforced and that there will be available abox-like empty space, which can be used as a small storage space betweenthe parts 1, 3, 4 and 18.

Any suitable ball projecting means is mounted on each of the walls 5intermediate the walls 7 and 11. In the instance shown each one of saidball projecting means consists of a plunger 20 slidably extendingthrough a flanged portion 21 of one of the walls 5 and having at one endan increased knob portion 22, and at its other end a disk 23 secured tothe plunger 20 by means of a screw 24 or the like. A spring 25 isinterposed between each Wall 5 and each one of the disks 23, tending toforce the plungers 20 into the box-like members 3 and 4 respectively asfar as the knob portions 22 will permit it. A second bottom 26 betweenthe walls 7 and 11 is upwardly extended from each of the plungers 20 toeach of the top walls 12. As may be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 the member 3,together with its ball projection means and perforated top 12, is turnedone hundred and eighty degrees relative to the member 4, and the ballprojection means of the member 4, so that players seated oppo site toeach other can actuate the ball projection means without changing theposition of the game for each manipulation of each ball projectingmeans. This arrangement has been found to be much more satisfactory thanthe provision of only one ball projection means along one side of thegame board. Moreover, this arrangement results in a structure of greatsturdiness, symmetry and practicability.

If a ball 27 is placed before one of the disks 23 and a plunger 20 isfirst pulled out of the box-like member 3 or 4 as far as possible and isthen released, so that it will be Withdrawn rapidly by the spring 25,the ball 27 is projected 'toward the curved wall 10 and is reflectedinto the space between the walls 6 and 11 above the top plate 12; itthen will fall through one of the numbered perforations 14, will roll onone of the first bottoms 17 until it reaches the opening 15, throughwhich it will pass, thus reaching a second bottom 26 and rolling towardsaid disk 23, so that it again is ready to be projected.

In the instance shown the perforations 14 of each row of saidperforations are consecutively numbered with numerals one to sixinclusive. The number of the perforation through which a ball 27 passesindicates the number of fields for which a player can advance his marker33 on the board 1. .T he markeri33 preferably is a taper member havingat its base a cylindrical protruding portion 34 which fits into theholes 2 (Fig.3). I prefer to provide the board 1 also withrepresentations indicating a further advance of the marker 33 than isindicated by the perforations 14, or even indicating a reverse movementof the marker 33. In the instance shown there are provided'on the boardrepresentations of ladders 30, which indicate further advances of themarkers from the bottom to the top of each ladder; and representation ofsnakes 31, which indicate a reverse movement of the markers from thehead to the tail of each snake. For instance, if a players marker hasreached the field 63, he can advance to 100, thus winning the game;while if a players marker has reached99 he must go back to 78.

Since certain changes may be made in the above article and differentembodiments of the invention could be made without departing from thescope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the abovedescription or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as amatter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game having a game board provided with a plurality of numberedfield portions, a scoring device comprising a pair of parallel side wallportions, a flat end wall portion joined to one end of said side wallportions, a curved end wall portion opposite said flat end wall portionjoined to the other end of said side wall portions so as to formtherewith and with said flat end wall portion a box-like member, anintermediate wall portion provided with an opening and being parallel tosaid side wall portions and extending from said flat end wall portion toa point which is in spaced relation to said curved end wall portion andforming with one of said side wall portions a longitudinal channel, atop wall provided with a straight row of numbered ball receivingperforations extending lengthwise from one side of said intermediatewall portion toward one of said side wall portions, a first bottomportion beneath said top wall being inclined downwardly toward theopening in said intermediate wall portion, ball projecting means mountedon said flat end wall portion between said intermediate .side wallportion and the other one of said wall portions, a ball being sodimensioned that it can pass through'said longitudinal channel as wellas through each of said perforations and through said opening, a secondbottom portion upwardly inclined from said ball projecting means to saidtop wall, said side and end wall portions protruding upwardly beyondsaid top wall, and said ball projecting means being constructed andarranged for receiving said ball when it has passed through said openingand for projecting it into the spaces encompassed by those sections ofsaid side walls which protrude beyond said top wall, so that the ballmay be received by, and pass through, any one of said numbered ballreceiving perforations for scoring purposes, at each operation of saidball projecting means the number of a perforation through which a ballpasses determining the movement of a marker from one numbered fieldportion on the game board to another one of said numbered fieldportions.

2. In a game having a game board provided with a plurality of numberedand perforated field portions, a scoring device consisting of a U-shapedchannel member having a pair of longitudinal hollow flange portions anda curved hollow web portion, an end wall at the extremities of saidflange portions opposite said web portion, an intermediate wall betweensaid flange portions having an opening and extending from said end wallto a point which is in spaced relation to said web portion, a horizontalwall provided with a row of ball receiving perforations extendingthrough the'firs-t one of said flange portions of said U-shaped'channelmember, a first bottom portion beneath said horizontal wall beinginclined downwardly toward the opening in said intermediate wall, ballprojectingmeans mounted on said end wall extending into the second oneof said flange portions, a ball so dimensioned as to pass through saidchannel member and through each one of said perforations as well asthrough said opening, and a second bottom upwardly inclined from saidball projecting means to said horizontal wall, said first flange portionprotruding upwardly beyond said horizontal wall, and said ballprojecting means being constructed and arranged for receiving said ballwhen it has passed through said opening and for projecting it into thespace encompassed by those sections of said flange portion whichprotrude beyond said hori zontal wall, so that the ball may be receivedby, and pass through, any one of said numbered ball receivingperforations for scoring purposes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

